When School Kids Turn Hackers: Fun Dares Spark Cyber Chaos!

A new warning has been issued by the Information Commissioner's Office, or ICO, about a growing problem in schools and colleges: students hacking into their own school's computer systems. The ICO calls this a 'worrying trend' and says that many teachers do not fully understand the risks that students pose as 'insider threats. ' According to the ICO, most cyber attacks and data breaches in schools are actually carried out by students who already have access to the school's computers and networks.

Heather Toomey, a Principal Cyber Specialist at the ICO, explained that what might start as a dare or a fun challenge among students can quickly turn into something much more serious. These actions can lead to damaging attacks on schools and even important organizations. Recently, there have been several high-profile cyber attacks on companies like M&S and Jaguar Land Rover, and some of the hackers involved have been teenagers. Since 2022, the ICO has investigated 215 cases of hacking and data breaches in schools and colleges, and 57% of these were carried out by children.

The ICO found that almost a third of these breaches involved students illegally logging into staff computer systems. They did this by guessing passwords or stealing login details from teachers. In one case, a seven-year-old was involved in a data breach and was referred to a special program to help them understand the seriousness of their actions. In another case, three students aged 15 or 16 used hacking tools they found online to break into a school database and access personal information about more than 1,400 students. When asked why they did it, they said they were interested in cyber security and wanted to test their skills.

Another example involved a student who used a teacher's login details to access a college database and change or delete personal information about more than 9,000 staff, students, and applicants. This database contained sensitive information like names, addresses, school records, health data, and emergency contacts. The problem is getting worse, with 44% of schools reporting a cyber attack or data breach in the past year, according to a government survey.

There is also a growing culture of youth cyber crime, with some English-speaking teen gangs being linked to hacking campaigns against major companies. In the UK and the US, several young hackers have been arrested for attacks on businesses like MGM Grand Casinos, TfL, Marks and Spencer, and Co-op. The rise in hacking among young people shows that schools need to do more to educate students about the dangers and consequences of cyber crime.